​​So, Beagle understands me when I tell her to stop shredding that $20 bill. Like most other commands, she must consider it more like a suggestion she chooses to ignore.

Do dogs really need a purpose? That question keeps rolling around in my head. Do giraffes have a purpose? What about cats? If dogs have a purpose, I believe it's greater than what they give humans, though what they give us is pretty special. I believe the love they show is a reflection of how God loves us; unconditionally. Even dogs that are mistreated still love their owners. I've never understood that. 

I avoid animal movies like animal shelters. Even though the pain at the shelter is real, the pain I feel when I watch an animal die in a movie is grief. I just put my beloved Tommy Boy to sleep a few weeks ago. Movie-grief doesn't touch the real thing, but it still taps into an emotion everyone dreads. Life is hard enough.  Did movie producers believe children could escape "Old Yeller" without severe psychological damage? Want more? "Bambi." "The Yearling," "Where the Red Fern Grows," "Sounder." Even comedies like "Turner and Hooch" and "Marley and Me" have heart-crushing endings. Now, a movie where a dog dies over and over to be instantly reincarnated into another dog. A new adventure, a new life. Watch the trailer and tell me what you think. I'm going to read up on it a little more to see if I can make it through without needing a good therapist afterward.  

Great story by The Washington Post that about how your fur coats can help orphan baby animals. 

This pit bull was stabbed in Knoxville while saving a woman from an attacker. Police officer got the boy to a vet. He's going to be put up for adoption once his wounds heal. Bet dozens of people want to adopt him.

This is the television news story about this boy who was named "Hero."

This post is the first I've written here about the death of my dog Tommy. I had him euthanized on Saturday. He had reached the end of his arthritis and other ailments that prevented him from walking, eating or having fun. I will talk more about that in the coming days, because even though it has broken my heart, it was important that I give my boy the last gift of peace and misery.

In the meantime, my Facebook page and my conversations have been heartbreakingly sad. So, I've finally decided to dust the snow off of this video to show you how much fun we had with Tommy and how I'm a klutz. You can ask my friends and family. Enjoy. Watch all the fun with Tommy and wait for about 29 seconds. Turn up the sound. You will have to play it repeatedly to get the full effect of the sound and movement. ​

In the meantime, my Facebook page and my conversations have been heartbreakingly sad. So, I've finally decided to dust the snow off of this video to show you how much fun we had with Tommy and how I'm a klutz. You can ask my friends and family. Enjoy. Watch all the fun with Tommy and wait for about 29 seconds. Turn up the sound. You will have to play it repeatedly to get the full effect of the sound and movement. 

​The watering "system" for my dogs: Each morning, fill a bowl the size of my bathroom sink with 2 gallons of water. Set it down in my kitchen on a lime green foam pad that says "woof." Done.

The key to this "system" is placement. If I'm rushed and don't notice the "woof'' pad is out of position, you can bet your butt; I'll tump it. Two gallons of water flowing across my kitchen floor. Good times.

The TORUS Watering System eliminates that calamity. At first glance, it's clear science and design easily beat my 2-gallon bowl method.  The TORUS 2-liter bowl looks a space ship, while the 1-litter is smaller and flatter, a sort of serving dish for a cat or small dog. Both sizes are available in pink, red, blue and charcoal. The system was created by New Zealand company Heyrex, which also designs other products to help pets stay healthy and to make things easier for pet owners. 

Bragging Points for TORUS WATERING SYSTEM: 

• Made from BPA food-grade material
• Easy Cleaning
• 1L & 2L stored water capacity
• Auto-refills without batteries
• Filters water as it dispenses
• Lock function for portability
• Monthly replacement filters
• Less refilling and fewer spills/mess
• Ergonomic, robust & durable design
• 12-month warranty
• Designed in New Zealand

The bowl has a dial on top with three positions. The first is a water faucet. You have to pull the dial straight up to open the bowl for filling. That's also where you put the single carbon filter it includes. You can buy more to replace it once a month. Since I live in Memphis, the tap is fine. 

Once it's filled it takes a little jiggering to replace the dial. The water is stored in a reservoir around the side of the bowl, which makes the weight-slosh a bit strange since you don't see the water. Once you set the bowl down, turn the dial to the wavy water signal with a drip. The bowl trickles out about a cup of water. Therein lies my problem.